Sheridan Sunset
by Alley Cat Sunflower
Summary: Natalia has a lot to think about: most prominent is whether she should return to Baticul despite her non-royal lineage. However, when Asch turns up and restates his promise of seven years ago, she realizes what choice she should make. More important even than the decision he helped her with is whether she will let Asch get away without thanking him. I do not own Tales or the cover!


The setting sun lengthened Natalia's shadow as she stepped deliberately down to the seaside. Standing on the platform looking over the sea, and resting her hands tensely on the railing as she squinted into the clouds (as warm in color as if they were a bonfire in the sky), Natalia felt as though she were watching a wave of colossal proportions about to crash into her.

It would have been nice if she had been allowed more than a few seconds to herself to analyze her situation as 'false princess' of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear—and, not entirely unrelated, her utter misery at the thought of returning to Baticul. Natalia only had time to turn a single, maddening question over and over in her head—_what was she afraid of?_—before she heard footsteps.

Footsteps could mean anything, but in her recent experiences, they usually meant trouble. Natalia's hand instinctively flew to her bow as she whirled around; she took a deep breath, seeing no one. She knew that she could not have mistaken the sound of footfalls on the street behind her.

"Who's there?" she demanded of the seemingly deserted alley, prepared to fight if she had to, but the strength left Natalia's words immediately after she asked them: her question was immediately and wordlessly answered. Her heart skipped a beat; a now-familiar and rapid rush of giddiness embraced her, and she could not suppress an exuberant smile at the approach of an old friend.

"Asch!" Natalia exclaimed breathlessly, before she could stop herself, and attempted to regain some semblance of royal dignity a moment later (resenting the blush rising into her fragile cheeks). "What are you doing here?" she added with reluctant suspicion, attempting to force herself to treat him like the stranger he was. Though she knew in her heart that he was the same boy she had once agreed to marry, he had not treated her group as friends. In fact, he seemed loath even to call them allies.

"I'm looking for Spinoza," responded Asch, and his voice held no hint of hostility—a welcome change from the stiff, prickly attitude he had adopted towards her friends. "What are you doing here?" he added, more curious than wary for a change.

Natalia turned around, staring at the dazzling edges of the clouds, illuminated by the sun. Goodness knew the sun was by far less bright than Asch in her eyes. "I'm…" she began, before hesitating. Natalia had hardly been granted time to mull things over, as she had sought in her solitude. How could she reveal to someone so distant and enigmatic as him what was in her head, when she couldn't identify her own thoughts on the matter?

The footsteps started up again, this time slow and tentative. "Aren't you going to Baticul?" he asked, a frown in his voice, and Natalia's eyes widened in shock. _How could he have found out? Even if our plans are not yet fixed, that means he was listening to our discussion!_

"You knew?" gasped Natalia, trying distractedly to think of all the other conversations she and her friends had had to which Asch may have listened. How could she be certain he had not listened in to their other discussions? Was he tailing her group? Somehow, that last thought wasn't so disagreeable to her.

Asch seemed uncomfortable at her question—perhaps guessing her thoughts—and merely added, "It's not like you to be scared." A warm glow touched her at his words: that was high praise, coming from someone so reserved as Asch, and she could no longer hold back a small smile—though she kept her back firmly to him.

"Well, there are some things that frighten even me." However flattering the compliment was, she could not accept it. Though she may ordinarily have been fearless to the point of recklessness, her current predicament was an exception. Considering the matter at hand with anything less than careful deliberation would be complete foolishness.

"Really?" asked Asch, chiding her gently in an almost teasing tone of voice which quickly summoned the heat back to her face. "Even though you have tens of thousands of Baticul citizens as your allies?"

"I know that," responded Natalia decisively, but a tiny, uncertain quaver made its way into her voice, contaminating it with doubt. Before she could attempt to defend herself from his unspoken criticism of her anxiety, she realized with a jolt that Asch was making his way towards the railing next to her.

He settled a respectful distance away, but Natalia's heart beat a frantically elated rhythm against her chest, reminding her of days long gone—the days when they were always this close, physically and mentally. They had been so childishly blissful in the knowledge that they would marry someday. Now, the promise he had made so faithfully in those sunlit days was no longer vali—

"Someday, when we're grown up, let's change this country," sighed Asch quietly, and Natalia's breath caught; for a shivering moment, she was sure she had imagined his voice in her yearning ears. "Change it so that no one has to be poor. Change it so that war never happens."

"Let's work to change our country," managed Natalia after a tremulous pause. "For the rest of our lives. Together." She glanced at Asch, trying to convey to him the continuance of her attachment, but he seemed lost in the setting sunlight: its blazing glow bathed him in ruddy fire. A faint smile touched her lips: she resolved that this view should forever stay in her mind's eye, inspiring her with gentle courage.

Before she could look swiftly away again and pretend she had not been staring at him in a most undignified manner, Asch turned towards her and met her eyes with an obvious effort. "I didn't say that because you were a princess," he murmured, and there was such affection in his gaze that Natalia could no longer meet his eyes: she stared at the clouds, tears stinging her eyes unexpectedly at the veiled tenderness in his words.

Natalia, head swirling with tangled thoughts and unspoken implications, turned back to Asch as he continued. "Your birth doesn't matter," he said, more forcefully: he turned around, prepared to leave her again, and her head spun unpleasantly at the prospect of parting so soon after meeting. "Just do what you can."

With that, he turned and walked away again: Natalia froze, petrified, trying to reach a decision before Asch slipped away for good: she eventually forced herself to turn around, expecting with dread to have let him leave her so unsatisfied, but found that he was walking much more slowly than usual: clearly, he did not wish to be gone.

"Asch."

He halted abruptly, as though expecting the interruption—almost before the word had left her mouth—but did not respond. It still felt odd for Natalia to call him 'Asch'; after all, _he _was the true Luke fon Fabre. There was a fine and blurry line between the two redheads in Natalia's mind: the most clearly outlined difference, more sharp and focused than ever on this nostalgic evening, was that _she loved this one_.

"Will you stay?" The words tumbled out of Natalia's mouth before she could ask the question more delicately. Asch did not turn around, nor did he respond for a long and worrying pause: she found herself taking a few steps towards him, afraid that he would ignore her completely, but he merely heaved a deep sigh, though he did not turn to address her.

"I can't," was his only, simple reply, and he started walking again—but Natalia, without her rational mind's consent, strode forward and caught his wrist gently. Something between a shiver and a shudder ran through her at their contact: this had been the first since he had steadied her in Ortion Cavern.

Trying not to think of how, when she had looked up after that earthquake to thank him, their lips had almost brushed, Natalia looked Asch in the eye (painfully aware of her blush). "One night?" she pleaded: it would be so comforting to know where he was and if he was safe, if only for a single evening. After all, she got the feeling he didn't take much care of himself—couldn't he search for Spinoza after a good night's sleep?). Asch's startled eyes narrowed momentarily, searching hers as if to try and discover a motive, but he sighed, closing them again before more than a few seconds had passed.

"Fine."

His response was a mumbled one, barely audible, and Natalia smiled up at him uncertainly. The corner of his mouth twitched, but he seemed unable to fully return her expression of joy—though his cheeks were a shade closer to his hair than usual. He moved past her almost like a ghost, turning his feet in the direction of the inn briefly before pausing once more and addressing her without turning. "I'll be gone by daybreak."

"So soon?" asked Natalia, disappointed; though this reaction had been what she expected, it still ached a little that he would reject her company in favor of his own. She knew, deep down, that she was _not _the reason for his solitude, and that in all likelihood he longed for companionship—but why couldn't he see that she could satisfy that?

"This is as much goodbye as that," sighed Asch, and continued on his way. Natalia knew he intended to make good on his word, and felt that she had nothing to fear as she returned to her post overlooking the sea.

By now, the sun had dipped almost completely below the horizon; the stars were beginning to emerge from their abyss. Natalia forced her mind away from Asch and back to the matter at hand, but immediately connected back up to her former fiancée; Asch was perhaps the only person she knew who could relate to her situation. Had he not been deprived of his birthright as well?

As Natalia observed the night falling slowly all around her, she thought that she had always known the answer—she had to do what was best for her country, and that was to return to Baticul and confront her 'father'—but it had taken Asch and his rough wisdom to reveal the true path, and she was in his debt. Somehow, she would have to find a way to show her thanks.

* * *

_"Focus, Luke!"_

_ Luke got to his feet, groaning. Ever since Tear had caught him eavesdropping on Natalia and Asch—by accident, mind you—she had been working him harder than he'd ever been worked in his life. Of course, he wasn't about to complain if Tear was his tutor, but it wasn't as though he had limitless energy. At this point, the sun had gone down at least an hour ago, and he hadn't been allowed to ask what time it was for at least as long._

_ "Aw, Tear," he whined, rubbing the back of his head and wincing. If he was never smashed to the ground with a spectral toy hammer again, it would be too soon._

_ "Honestly," sighed Tear, exasperated. Just because Natalia had a few important issues to contemplate didn't mean Luke should get distracted as well. Perhaps if he demonstrated a bit more empathy on other occasions, Tear would be more inclined to give him a break._

_ "Please?"_

_ Tear bit her lip momentarily, trying to gauge whether or not he'd learnt his lesson, before bowing her head. "I think that's enough for today," she decided. "Let's go back to the inn. Maybe we'll see Natalia on the way there." She began the walk back into Sheridan; it occurred to her that perhaps she should have stopped his training a little earlier, if only to see the road ahead. This wasn't exactly familiar territory, after all._

_ "You think she's not back with the others yet?" frowned Luke, sheathing his sword._

_ "I wouldn't be too sure," was Tear's cautious response; she felt a great deal of sympathy for the Kimlascan princess—who could possibly make such a weighty decision in less time than one night? "She has a lot to think about, as do the rest of us. We have strategies to plan. I hope they're not messing around…"_

_ Guy flinched: Anise giggled, moving his stiffened hand out of the way and scooping up the pile of cards. "Come on, Guy," she sighed, clearly reveling in her enormous stack of cards—bigger even than the Colonel's collection. How was Guy supposed to have known that Chesedonian War was going to be such a violent game—or that Anise was so good at it—when the Fon Master Guardian suggested it? "This is a great way of getting used to girls!"_

_ "Getting slapped by them?" he retorted, voice considerably higher-pitched than usual as he attempted to swallow the lingering effects of his fear. "I mean, I like card games as much as the next person, but—" Guy cut himself off, looking anywhere but at Anise's teasing brown eyes, and heaved a deep sigh as he realized that if he caved in and kept playing, he would only keep getting smacked. He was about to lose anyway. "I quit," he announced, throwing his tiny stack of cards down onto the table with perhaps more force than necessary. "That's it. I'm done."_

_ "Aww!" pouted Anise. How could he leave their game so quickly? They had only just started! "You don't _have_ to slap in, you know! You could just take the cards whenever they come your way, and leave the slapping to the Colonel and me." She gave Guy her most brilliant smile, which was met with a stony stare, and she glared at him as he turned his back._

_ "Ion! Guy's ruining our game!" she called, when Guy made no apology and walked out the door—probably to return to the second of the two rooms the party had reserved for that evening. "Make him stop," she added petulantly. Why shouldn't she take advantage of her high connections? A Fon Master could order someone to keep playing a game, no problem._

_ Of course, she knew he was too nice to do it, but a girl could dream._

_ Ion glanced up from his journal, somewhere between amused and sympathetic. "Why don't you and the Colonel play King's Corners?" he suggested, continuing writing down the day's adventures. He had been in the habit of keeping a diary ever since he could write. "That works with two players, after all," he added, as he could Anise's puppy-dog eyes (so easily transformed into those of wolves instead) practically burned through his journal. He wasn't about to make Guy keep playing something he didn't want to play. Sometimes, his Guardian could be remarkably selfish. Though, perhaps someday he would be able to teach her that money did not buy happiness, and that others' needs and wishes mattered just as much as hers._

_ Jade smiled at Ion's predictably pacifistic response. "Well said, Fon Master," he sighed, gathering up the stray cards and shuffling them all before Anise could run out the door after Guy. "Besides, Anise, I believe you were the only one interested in 'slapping in' anyway," he continued, tapping the deck against the table to straighten out the cards. Not that he cared enough to stop, but this was certainly not a particularly professional way for a Malkuth colonel to spend an evening, particularly one on the eve of a very important peace mission to Baticul—_

_ Though, Natalia hadn't made a decision yet. Jade sighed internally as he dealt out the cards to himself and Anise, well aware that he should be focusing on what he was going to do or say in any of the possible scenarios Natalia's final decision could bring up. He should be writing a letter to King Ingobert, not playing cards with a thirteen-year-old girl._

_ But as he examined the favorable hand he had dealt himself, he smirked. Official business could wait. He had a game to win._

* * *

Natalia hesitated once more before lifting her hand and knocking at the door.

A thousand worries danced in her head—worry that Asch had absconded without making good on his latest promise; worry that the inn clerk had lied to her for whatever reason about the room he was staying in; worry that he would turn her away rather than answer the door. But her worries disappeared as the lock clicked and the door swung open, revealing Asch—to be replaced by blank wordlessness.

Her eyes darted quickly over his form before they settled on a point on the other end of the room; Natalia wasn't quite sure why she was so embarrassed to look at him. It wasn't as though Asch wasn't fully clothed: he simply lacked the robe he usually wore over the rest of his outfit, and he wore no gloves. Perhaps it was his tunic that so flustered her: it was open, similar to a vest, secured only by a belt around his middle.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nataila noticed badly disguised pleasure to see her dancing in Asch's eyes, masked by a slipping veil of surprise.

"Natalia?" he asked, searchingly. She took a chance and looked determinedly at his face, attempting to conquer her innate shyness when confronted with anything less than perfect propriety in dress, but quickly noticed—why was she so _aware _of everything about him?—that his hair was damp, even more so than hers.

Each of them had bathed tonight; why did that matter? Why was the thought of their simultaneous baths so appalling and appealing? Natalia wrestled with her innermost desires, so close to being realized, before suddenly remembering that he was still waiting for an explanation as to her presence at his door. Frankly, she wondered at his waiting for her this whole time, and prayed none of her reflections showed on her face.

"Yes," she said, throat slightly constricted; the word came out a gasp. "I—I apologize for the interru—" she tried to say, but Asch merely stepped aside, out of the doorway, and gestured for her to come in.

"It's all right," he said, though his expression remained impassive. "Come inside," he added exasperatedly after a pause, and Natalia forced her legs to move stiffly inside. As the door snapped shut behind her, Asch turned to observe Natalia with ill-concealed curiosity in his turquoise gaze.

"I just wanted to… to talk to you," she found herself saying, surprising herself by meeting his teal gaze—though, just after realizing her courage, she was forced to drop it again as she felt a blush coming on. Why was she so fragile?

"What more can we say to one another?" Though Asch's words might have frozen the air between them if he had said them in a different tone of voice, his was as gentle as she had ever heard it, encouraging her softly to speak her mind. Taking a deep breath, Natalia glanced up again, meeting his eyes once more and resolving not to lose that contact this time, no matter_ how _fast her heart was beating.

"Thank you," she murmured, after clearing her throat slightly. "You've helped me make my decision to return to Baticul. I will confront Fa…" She trailed off and swallowed the rest of the word before continuing. "The king, and I will prevent this war." She hesitated; receiving no indication from Asch that her word had affected him at all, she added, "I am truly grateful."

"There was no decision," replied Asch, with a strange mixture of scorn and graciousness. "That was the only way from the very beginning. You just needed to figure it out on your own."

"But I _didn't_ discover it on my own," pressed Natalia, taking a step forward and clenching a fist unconsciously in her fervor. "You helped me find out. Please stop assuming that you and your actions mean nothing to me. Nothing could be farther from the truth, I assure you."

Asch raised his eyebrows, eyes widening ever so slightly in shock, but Natalia was not going to stop now, no matter how little breath she had to say it. It had been seven years since their promise had been made, and over those seven years, she had imagined this situation too many times to count: the time Luke fon Fabre would remember their engagement, and she would confess to him that she had loved him for as long as she could remember. Only this time, it wasn't Luke; it was—

"Asch, I hardly know _what_ to think about you anymore," began Natalia, eyes downcast. "As a child, I loved you. When I found you again, I realized you were still the boy—the man—I loved." She fidgeted with her gloves before eventually pulling them off frustratedly and casting them aside: Asch's eyes followed them briefly before flicking back to her. "But you've been pushing me away almost every time I try to remind you of our shared past, and I just—well, I wanted to know whether…"

Natalia trailed off uncertainly, playing awkwardly with her now-bare hands. She half-expected Asch to throw her out of his room after that revelation: she had no real right to ask him about his feelings—goodness knew he was loath to show them on his own. How would he react to being asked about them?

"Whether…?"

Asch's voice was hoarse; he cleared his throat immediately after prompting her to go on. Natalia's eyes widened and she glanced up to find that he had been peering at her intently, though he now attempted to disguise this fact by turning away from her: his skin was almost as ruddy as it had been in the dying sunlight. Natalia tossed a small smile at his back as she continued, somewhat hesitantly, "Whether you've ever felt the way I have—the way I still do," she added in a rush, and—turning her back on him quickly—Natalia raised a hand to her face, almost expecting to burn herself on her blush.

When Asch said nothing, Natalia felt her heart beginning to shatter a little, and took a deep, painful breath, resolved to apologize even if her heart broke completely in the process. She _knew _she shouldn't have asked. Why had her ordinarily rational mind allowed her to forget herself?

"Forgive me," she said, somewhat defeatedly, after a heavily pregnant pause. "I—I shouldn't have asked—"

Natalia had been absorbed in her own thoughts so much so that she had not heard Asch's approach; as she turned her head reluctantly to try and meet his eyes and convey the sincerity of her apology, she gasped: he stood before her, looking down at her unreadably in a way that might have alarmed her if her skin hadn't tingled so pleasantly at his proximity.

"Natalia," murmured Asch, seemingly about to say something, but closed his mouth again abruptly immediately after sighing her name. Even that single word, her own title, sent shivers running up and down her spine; part of her longed to run away from her feelings and this situation, but most of her desired nothing more to stay like this forever.

She was about to open her mouth to beg him to go on, as he had urged her forward when she had been reluctant to speak, but Asch bent his head down—silencing Natalia before she even began—and kissed her tenderly.

Natalia remembered the days from years and years ago—kisses on the hand each time they met and parted, kisses on the cheek when no one was watching, kisses on the forehead when it was time for bed. Only once had their lips ever met, on the night of Asch's promise—then Luke's—and that was the real reason she held that vow with an iron grip. That had accompanied her first kiss, and thus was her first true realization of what love was. Even if the promise was now supposedly abandoned, Natalia would never forget that first jump in the comprehensive heartbeat of her love.

Then, she had been a girl, able only to recognize that she desired Asch beside her as her king. Now, as a woman, she recognized a deeper, darker, more arcane desire—a wish for Asch to be beside her in more ways than just that. If it hadn't been accompanied by such a pleasant dizziness, she might have truly frightened herself with the unprecedented ferocity of her feelings.

His lips left hers unwillingly; it had been a chaste kiss—too pure for Natalia's newfound tastes. All thoughts of her predicament involving her 'father' disappeared from her mind as she became sharply aware of how very close they now stood.

She breathed, "My—" in an attempt to reprove him for his unseemly forwardness, but lost interest halfway through the single syllable, and—on a heretofore unknown impulse—kissed him with such force that he staggered backward a step. Seven years' worth of missed opportunities, seven years' worth of suppressed emotions made themselves evident in this one kiss, passionate and fierce—on his side as well as hers.

Natalia would have been content to feel the warmth of his hand on the small of her back forever, half-waltzing, half-wrestling through the room—embracing him in the dim and dingy light away from proper, prying eyes—but suddenly, she stumbled against something soft, and fell with a muffled squeak as he released her abruptly. As she fell, she grasped the first thing she could—Asch's tunic—and sprawled on the bed, eyes squeezed shut and heart pounding for more reasons than merely the exertion of their kiss.

As Natalia opened her eyes again, a wave of tiny and ordinarily meaningless observations pelted against her feverish mind. Firstly, she still held Asch's tunic in her hand—but, as only the belt kept it in place, part of his chest was now exposed, and he was breathing quite as heavily as her. Natalia's hold weakened and her hand dropped limply to the bed; she forced her eyes to look into his rather than at the visible fragment of his chest, but became sharply aware that their legs were barely touching, Asch's positioned firmly on either side of hers.

And, as she attempted to speak to ease some of the unbearable tension that had arisen between the few inches of space still between them—courtesy of Asch's arms, which held his torso above hers (one of them also pinned one of her wrists to the mattress)—Natalia found herself quite at a loss for words.

Eventually, she swallowed and closed her eyes, heartbeat throbbing wildly in her ears; she found herself wondering what his would feel like, pressed against her, but quickly shoved such indecent thoughts away. "I, u-uh," she began, in a most undignified manner. "Sh-should I—"

"Leave?" interjected Asch swiftly, in a low and quiet voice which sent momentary tremors shivering through her body. Natalia nodded, opening her eyes slowly, only to find Asch's closed: a frown flickered on his face, and he seemed in no hurry to release her wrist or open his eyes again.

"Asch?" prompted Natalia, and his eyes flew open so suddenly that she jumped slightly: at this, he seemed to realize that he was grasping her wrist too tightly, and loosened his grip, mumbling something hastily that sounded a little like either an apology or an excuse. Natalia wasn't about to ask for clarification; truth be told, she hadn't minded much.

"Either stay or go, whichever," continued Asch huskily after a long pause, "but if you stay—" He cut himself off, the words seemingly catching in his throat, and a thrill of anticipation raced through Natalia. This was it. The moment of truth.

No revelation followed; she knew better than to be disappointed. Natalia knew she would never be half so composed in Asch's position; he needed help to speak plainly, and since he had helped her with a recognition of her own, she would assist him in his. "If I stay?" she echoed, in an attempt to help him along, but he only opened his eyes.

There was an intensity in their turquoise depths—a purpose that could not be denied. It was more than clear that whatever semblance of control he had over himself would be dispelled with one more move in the right (or wrong) direction.

Natalia—blushing crimson—tried to speak with her usual strict authority, but she was certain her voice betrayed some of her own excitement at the unspoken prospect. "Asch," she began. "You can't _possibly _be sugges—"

"Please, Natalia."

That was the first time he had said 'please' to her in a very, very long time; the word was spoken very quietly, almost a mere breath. Natalia stopped short for a little while, but resolutely tried to pick up the torn pieces of her proper upbringing—though her previous dedication to demonstrating her good breeding was fading fast. "I-it's not proper—" she gasped. "I mean, we've barely—"

"Natalia!" interrupted Asch, a growl edging his voice, and Natalia fell silent with a fascinated shiver, a burning blush still coloring her cheeks. Intensity and passion were written on every aspect of his face, and Natalia finally recognized exactly why he was called 'Asch the Bloody'. This was the way he must have looked before each battle—the expression that led some men to flee rather than face him. And yet, despite her diffidence, Natalia was not afraid of him, nor the look in his smoldering eyes.

"This may well be our last meeting," he continued urgently, glancing briefly away from her. "If you want to leave, then go now." There was a peculiar tinge of grief to his voice, as though he prayed she would not choose that option, and Natalia felt appreciation well up within her. He, who had supposedly lost all remnants of his upbringing—name, status, and future—was still far more of a gentleman than his replica. Natalia shuddered to even think about the differences between them in this situation.

"Do you still intend to make good on your promise?"

Natalia surprised herself by the steadiness of her words. She had fully been expecting to be unable to speak for all eternity after having been placed in this situation; to maintain the use of her voice at all was an accomplishment in her eyes, let alone with all the appearance of calm—belying the churning excitement within her.

"I no longer have that right," sighed Asch, and there was such regret in his words that Natalia debated telling him that of _course _he still maintained that right; he was the one who had made that promise, and it was he, not his replica, that was bound to keep it. However, Natalia was certain the words would not come out convincingly, and she settled for expressing her feelings on the matter in another way. Raising her arm, she brushed the curtain of still-damp hair out of his face, entwining a strand with her finger lazily.

He closed his eyes slowly at her touch, similar to a cat being stroked; Natalia smirked, enjoying this unusual feeling of power. She had been trained so long that it would be Asch in control when they were married, not her, that she had never anticipated being able to hold this sort of sway over him. As Natalia had hoped, it wasn't long before he added haltingly, "But… if I did… I would… without hesitation."

Without further ado, Natalia brought his head down and kissed him once more, breathlessly. Though Asch initially struggled, he quickly stopped himself and seemed content to follow Natalia's lead—but she pushed him away gently as she sat up, unsure as to how to proceed. She was hardly accustomed to this sort of situation, anyway, and had learned only the basics of what was supposed to happen, not _how_.

While Natalia sat up, Asch knelt down before her, as if she were some sort of princess; she looked down at him tenderly. "Oh, Asch," she murmured, hands twitching and longing to grasp some part of him or other: now that they had touched, she wanted nothing more than to tangle herself with him again in some way. "The honor of your intentions are all that matter to me."

Asch dropped his gaze quickly at her words and, seemingly to keep himself occupied, removed his boots deftly. Natalia half-wondered why he had donned his boots to begin with; he hadn't been considering coming to see _her_, had he? Her heart leapt at the thought; pushing such girlish reactions away, she continued, "I will stay with you tonight," and relished the expression of wild elation flickering on Asch's face before being consolidated into a smile as he continued in his work, casting both boots aside.

She wished he would smile more often.

"As repayment for all that you've done—" she began adding, but he glanced up once more, cutting her off—plainly irked by her latest comment.

He narrowed his eyes before closing them altogether, then bowed his head solemnly. "If you stay with me, do it for yourself, and not me," Asch growled. "If you're giving this because you feel like you have to, then I don't want—"

Natalia rested a hand on his shoulder; he stopped speaking, looking up at her with a dull gaze—masking his worry, she felt. It seemed a natural reaction to him, as though he had had to conceal his doubts before, but Natalia only smiled at him gently, longing to tell him that it wasn't solely because of thanks that she felt this way.

"Asch," she sighed, and his frown softened at his chosen name. "I want this, too. You just helped me realize it. Just like you did with Bati… cul," she added, the last word stretching out perhaps a little longer as Asch seized one of her boots and tugged it off as well: a jolt ran through her at his touch, obscuring her speech slightly. At the hesitation, Asch smirked, and Natalia's whole body seemed to pulse at the expression.

"Your reputation," he began grimly, casting the first boot aside. "Your purity," he added, tugging off the second one and adding it to the pile, and gazed up at her once more, hand hovering in midair with seemingly uncertain intention.

"Only—" began Natalia, throat dry, and swallowed. "Only words."

A barely perceptible smile tugged at Asch's mouth, and took one of her cold feet gently in his hands, rubbing it carefully. Natalia fidgeted at his touch, but could not find it within herself to move. "And you'd really allow a man like me to tarnish those words?" asked Asch deliberately, eyes meeting her own with uncharacteristic warmth.

"Do… do you really think me… the kind of woman to—" Asch moved his tender massage to her other foot, with unconsciously increased intensity. "To give myself so utterly t-to someone unworthy?" At this point, it was difficult for her to think straight, let alone expect a response. Why was he still on the floor when there was a perfectly hospitable bed here? Was she not good enough?

As if her words had triggered Asch's movement, he got to his feet somewhat slowly after releasing her own foot; Natalia reclined on the bed again, half-uncertainly, before she raised her leg and applied her heel to his side. As he curved away from the pressure, down towards her again, she smiled, recognizing that in his hungry eyes was no trace of a response to her forgotten question.

"Then accept my choice," she purred, caressing the back of his neck (he grit his teeth, pinning her wrists automatically) and allowing her foot to drop, "and take what I offer—what you desire."

Asch closed his eyes and kissed her roughly, the distance between them replaced gradually by friction and heat: after Lorelei knew how long, he forced his mouth away from hers for a moment, grudgingly. Natalia noticed, half-dazed, that his red hair fell in curtains on either side of their faces, masking the outside world; no one existed in their universe but they two, soon to become one. Looking down at her with undisguised hunger in his eyes, Asch let out a long, shuddering sigh; his voice was something akin to a groan. "Oh, Natalia…"

She giggled, no thoughts of Baticul or battle or even a worthwhile response entering her head, and—before either of them knew what had happened—she suddenly sat atop his stomach, fingers curled into the fabric of his tunic, nails digging ever so slightly into the bare skin of his chest; he hissed softly—a small, sharp exhalation. If Asch's renewal of his promise was the engagement, then this was certainly the wedding—and Natalia would spare no expense.

* * *

_Jade signed his name and put the pen down, congratulating himself on a letter well written. It may not have been his absolute best work, but any better could hardly have been expected when writing at a cramped table by moonlight. Jade would have liked to see the man who could write a perfect note at two o'clock in the morning—specifically, one whose delivery entirely depended on the decision of a somewhat emotional princess._

_ Natalia had not given any news on her final decision, after all: it was still undecided as to whether or not the party would actually travel to Baticul next. To his knowledge, after her second hasty departure—having informed the party that taking another walk would help her think, and having begged them not to wait up for her—she had not returned. Either she was still mulling it over, which would be even less sensible than the war they were attempting to prevent—how much time could she possibly need to realize that this was the only viable course of action?—or, more likely, she was off distracting herself somewhere. Mind, Jade wasn't entirely sure what a princess could possibly find to occupy herself in a smaller, less refined town like Sheridan, but he was certain an innovative young lady such as herself would find something to do to take her mind off things._

_ Jade, sighing, lay back on his bed—the only one, in the group's suite of two rooms, that would not have to be shared. He glanced over at the other bed in his room to ensure that its occupants were not disturbed by his movement: the moonlight, still streaming through the window, illuminated enough for him to observe the peaceful tangle of limbs and blankets that were Ion and Anise. From what he could see, Anise was lying partially atop the Fon Master, having scattered the covers; their fingers were loosely clasped._

Ah, young love,_ thought Jade, smiling faintly, and closed his eyes._

_ Dreams of weddings danced in Anise's head, and she shifted in her sleep, clinging to Ion in a horizontal embrace and entwining her legs with his unconsciously. Money, cake, money, popularity, money, and love were all in her future. All was well, and would be well, as long as she kept a tight hold on the man next to her, and never let him get away._

_ Ion stirred faintly beneath the familiar weight of Anise's arm on his waist, jostled by her readjustment, and half-opened one eye to see a sleepy smile on her face. Resting a gentle hand on the back of her head, he closed his eyes again and returned her smile, having been dreaming of a great and harmonious peace. Perhaps that would start coming true, come tomorrow._

_ Tear, too, dreamed of peace—though her dream was that of herself, standing in a field full of selenias on the Outer Lands. There might have been someone next to her, but she couldn't tell whether it was Van or Luke; either way, he spoke kindly to her, and might have tried to make a gift of a bouquet of the silvery flowers. Hugging Mieu softly, but sleepily heeding his squeak of alarm as she accidentally squeezed him too tightly, she shifted in bed, a momentary frown flitting across her face as she recognized that Natalia was supposed to be there. However, telling Luke or Van something important took precedence, and she went eagerly back to sleep._

_ Luke, meanwhile, lay in bed with his back to Guy, wanting nothing more than to be asleep. Akzeriuth still haunted him so much so that he still got nightmares, and tremors still racked his body as he thought of the thousands that had died because of him. In an effort to force his mind away from the incident, he imitated Tear's rhythmic breathing—pausing only a moment to wonder where Natalia was—before closing his eyes and slipping fitfully back into slumber._

_ Guy lay awake, staring at the ceiling. He had been dozing off and on, but Natalia had left what had to be six hours ago, and he was beginning to realize that her safety took precedence over his good night's sleep. Perhaps it was just an instinct from when she had treated him like her servant as well, but he was beginning to worry about her; just how long a walk had she been planning on taking?_

_ Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes again. If anyone could take care of herself, it was Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear; he shouldn't get involved. Besides, Luke had informed him—very briefly, as he said Tear didn't approve—that Asch was in the area and had been talking to Natalia. Maybe she had spent the night with him. Guy smiled faintly, and then blushed, at the thought of sheltered Princess Natalia in the same bed as Asch the Bloody._

_ Regardless, Guy hoped she was safe. They'd be short one very useful piece in the Kimlasca-versus-Malkuth puzzle if she disappeared._

* * *

Natalia rested her head on Asch's chest, snuggling deeper under the covers and encircling his torso with her arms. The strength of his heartbeat lulled her into the satisfied space between sleep and wakefulness for a time, though she was stirred by Asch putting his arm around her gently.

"Well," sighed Natalia contentedly. She wasn't quite sure _what_ to say, in all honesty, and 'well' seemed as good a way to start as any under the circumstances. Her mind and body were both still buzzing pleasantly, after all, and she found it difficult to think of more than rest.

"Was it worth sacrificing your innocence?" Asch's sleepy murmur held a somewhat humorous edge to it, though Natalia could sense that the question was genuine.

"I told you, that's only a word," she laughed, and Asch chuckled as well, caressing her shoulder with a warm hand. "Yes, Asch," Natalia purred, nestling her face into his chest. "I enjoyed our dalliance very much."

There was a seemingly hesitant pause; Natalia heard Asch's breath catch momentarily in his throat, and she was about to ask why when he asked tentatively, "And if you should bear a child out of wedlock? _That _is much more than a word."

Natalia bit her lip; the thought had not entered her head, and it wasn't as though either of them had access to any means of avoiding pregnancy: their encounter had been spontaneous. However, the thought of a little redheaded child with her own green eyes made her smile, and Natalia glanced up at Asch, tracing his jawline tenderly.

"He would be conceived of love for you," she sighed, and found that motherhood was not such a terrible thing to think about even at her young age, should her child be Asch's. "I will be content to wander the world with him—and, if you would have me, _you_." She hesitated a moment before continuing, "I could still travel with y—"

"No," interrupted Asch, though his voice was gentle. "And I can't travel with your group, either," he added, almost regretfully, as Natalia opened her mouth. "I'm sorry. Not even for you, or our child." There was an infinitessimal pause; Natalia barely had time to feel outraged before he continued, "Until the world is saved."

Another long silence stretched on ahead, and Natalia almost drifted off before remembering aloud, "You said you'd be gone by daybreak." Asch made an indistinct noise, apparently having been asleep himself, and Natalia smiled at his uncharacteristic vulnerability. Asch the Bloody, dozing off? Unheard of!

"That's only a few hours away, now, but yes," he mumbled.

"Please wake me when you leave," responded Natalia, after another, smaller pause. "They'll… be worried about me, if I'm not there when they wake." She already felt the beginnings of guilt at staying so late without informing anyone as to how long she would be out, but it wasn't as though she _knew _this would happen, after all.

Asch nodded, seemingly distractedly, and stroked her hair—but Natalia saw him frown slightly, and realized what was really going on. He was _embarrassed_—though why exactly that should be, when so many people coveted the loss of their virginity, Natalia would never know. "Don't worry," she smiled knowingly. "I won't tell them where I've been, if they ask."

"Thank you," sighed Asch, relieved; Natalia leaned up to kiss his cheek. It was a light gesture: her lips barely brushed his face, but after their hours' worth of almost aggressive passion, gentleness was far more appealing.

"Good night, Asch," murmured Natalia, tightening her grip on him momentarily.

"Good night."

His response was characteristically terse, and affection welled up within Natalia anew: she felt a warm sense of satisfaction that she was capable of unlocking his tenderer side. But there was one thing she had yet to say.

"Asch?" Natalia readjusted her head on his chest.

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

There was a pause; she thought Asch had fallen asleep already—his last response had been less a conscious reply and more a sleepy mumble—but a part of her still worried that after all they had been through, he would throw her away just like her family.

It came as an immeasurable relief when Asch whispered, "I love you too, Natalia."

Natalia had nothing more to say—no other remarks with which to shatter the heavy and peaceful silence which now enveloped them. She merely sighed contentedly along with Asch, breathing deepening rhythmically as they lay in one another's arms. Her last conscious thought was that no matter what troubles would arise in the coming week, she would be content in the knowledge that Asch still loved her as much as she loved him.

* * *

**((This just… showed up in my head. I can't explain it, other than it's my OTP for Tales of the Abyss. Why oh why did they have to doom it?))**


End file.
